SQM receives Chile's approval for lithium plant expansion

Chilean lithium miner SQM on Thursday received environmental approval to expand its lithium carbonate production plant, the local environmental regulator told Reuters, marking a milestone as the company seeks to boost output of the coveted ultralight battery metal. The $400-million plant expansion, once complete, would allow the Chinese-backed SQM to eventually produce as much as 180 000 t of lithium carbonate a year from its Atacama salt flat operations in Chile.